National Highlight Reel: David Nolan sets 3 national swimming records, ties another

Hershey (Pa.) senior David Nolan staged probably the greatest performance in high school swimming history over the weekend during the Pennsylvania Class AAA state meet at Bucknell University.

The 6-foot-2, 185-pounder set an astonishing three individual and shared a fourth national high school record.

His records are:
- 100-yard backstroke, 45.49 seconds.
- 100-yard freestyle, 42.34 seconds leading off the 400-yard freestyle relay.
- 200-yard individual medley, 1:41.37 (breaking his own record of 1:43.43).
- 200-yard freestyle relay, 1:21.01 (other members were senior Ben Bauchwitz, sophomore Shota Nakano and senior Jeff Young).

"It feels good. I'm just trying to get ready for some (academic) tests now," Nolan said quite humbly following his herculean feat.



Greg Fastrich, who has coached Nolan since age 6, said, "I've read some blogs and am finding out more and more how special this was. Let's just say it will be hard to match again," he laughed. "The kid put in a lot of work, the coaches put in a lot of work and this weekend was our payoff."

The great Mark Spitz set several American (including adults) records during his prep career from 1964-68 at Santa Clara (Calif.), but even he never set four national records during a two-day high school meet. Fastrich admitted that he had his ace actually shooting for six national records.

"He has raw talent and a great feel for the water," Fastrich noted. "You toss a kid a bone and he's going out there and getting it. I have a good sense for what he can do. He had a great shot."

Nolan, who will graduate with seven state titles and 12 state records, said he has chosen Stanford University over such other powers as Texas, Florida and Virginia. He'll take a week or two off and then begin doing everything he can over the next year to make the USA team for the 2012 London Olympics.

Hershey's boys and girls both won the state team championship and the girls had their own highlights.

The 400-yard freestyle relay team set a national public school record of 3:22.85 behind the efforts of Sam Surfus, Katelyn Miller, Yurie Nakano and Meaghan Raab. Only a freshman, Raab broke state records in the 100- and 200-yard freestyle events and was named most outstanding female performer in Class AAA.

* Meanwhile, Eden Prairie (Minn.) junior Rachel Bootsma was making waves during the National Club Swimming Association Junior Nationals in Orlando, Fla. Bootsma emerged from the week-long meet with an amazing six gold medals – including a sizzling 50.76 in to win the women's 100 backstroke in a time that would have won this year's NCAA championship. It also is No. 3 all-time. Last fall, Bootsma set a national record in the Minnesota state meet with a clocking of 51.53 in the 100 backstroke.



BOYS BASKETBALL: MONTELLI WINS STATE AT 78
Vito Montelli is back on top at age 78, having coached St. Joseph (Trumbull, Conn.) to the Class LL state title with a 79-53 rout of Fairfield Prep (Conn.). Montelli has won a state-record 853 games in 49 years, but his 10th state title was his first since 2001.

* Six-foot senior Veontae Lewis drilled an 18-foot jump shot at the buzzer to give Christian County (Hopkinsville, Ky.) a 65-63 double-overtime victory against Rowan County (Morehead, Ky.) and the state title before a crowd of 14,644 at Rupp Arena in Lexington. Tourney MVP Anthony Hickey, a 5-11 guard, had 17 points, 12 rebounds and six assists for the champs. Rowan County, which had won its last 15 games, was paced by 6-4 junior Adam Wing with 31 points and 13 rebounds. Wing had a streak of 12 consecutive 3-point baskets during the semifinals and finals.

* Redwood Valley (Redwood Falls, Minn.) outlasted Windom (Minn.), 60-58, in four overtimes during the Class 2A Section 3 championship game.

* Northview (Duluth, Ga.) junior Kyle Meyer has made a commitment to the University of Iowa, according to the Atlanta Journal & Constitution. The 6-10 Meyer averaged 16 points and 14 rebounds this year.

* DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.) defeated Benedictine (Richmond, Va.), 53-43, to win the 51st annual Alhambra Catholic Invitational at Frostburg State University for a record 20th time.

* Six-foot-four Kedren Johnson of Marshall County (Lewisburg, Tenn.) poured in 43 points to spark the East to a 131-121 victory over the West during the Tennessee All-Star game in Murfreesboro.



* Late in the season, West Burlington (Iowa) launched a national-record 100 3-point shots — making only eight — during a lopsided 109-25 loss to Danville (Iowa). The record had been 94 by Juniata Valley (Alexandria, Pa.) in 1997.

* Assistant T.J. Lux has been named head boys basketball coach at Merrillville (Ind.). A former Merrillville player, Lux succeeds Jim East, who retired after 43 years – 31 at Merrillville – as a head coach.

Continue reading{PAGEBREAK}GIRLS BASKETBALL: MOSQUEDA-LEWIS HONORED
Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) senior Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis has been named Gatorade National Girls Basketball Player of the Year. The 5-11 guard is averaging 21.6 points and 6.1 rebounds while keeping her team in the hunt for state and national championships. The University of Connecticut signee also carries an impressive 3.41 GPA.

* Jasmine Hines reached a high and a low last week. First she was named Michigan's Miss Basketball. But then her Central Lake (Mich.) team lost to Our Lady of the Lakes (Waterford, Mich.), 52-41, in the Class D state semifinals. Still, the 6-3 Michigan State recruit closed her brilliant career as the first boy or girl to score 3,000 career points.

* Dawn Barger achieved a bundle of firsts this year. In her first year as head coach, she became the first woman to coach a Tennessee boys basketball state champion while guiding Lake County (Tiptonville, Tenn.) to an 84-63 victory over Middleton (Tenn.) in the Class A championship game. Lake County never previously had won a game in the state tourney. She previously coached the boys middle school team from 2003-07.

BASEBALL: DAVID JOHNSON DRIVES IN 10 RUNS
* David Johnson drove in 10 runs with a triple and back-to-back grand-slams as Ponderosa (Parker, Colo.) belted Northglenn (Colo.), 21-4. It was a great feat in any park, but this one took place at Coors Field, home of Major League Baseball's Colorado Rockies.



* Frontier (Bakersfield, Calif.) collected 26 hits - including 10 home runs - during a 26-2 rout of Liberty (Bakersfield, Calif.). Kyle Nixon led the onslaught, going 5-for-5 with three home runs, two triples and driving in six runs. Winning pitcher Blayne Ontiveros also drove in six runs with three home runs. Their league does not use the mercy rule. 

* American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.) defeated Jupiter (Fla.), 6-1, to win the Selective Recruiting Invitational at Mark Light Stadium. Junior shortstop Brandon Lopez earned MVP honors by driving in four runs. Alex Seibold was the winning pitcher.

* Science Hill (Johnson City, Tenn.) senior left-handed pitcher Daniel Norris made his debut with 15 strikeouts and 6 2/3 no-hit innings during an 8-0 victory over Tennessee High (Bristol, Tenn.). Ranked as the nation's No. 1 player by Perfect Game USA, Norris drew a large number of scouts and did not disappoint by throwing 95-96 mph.

* Owasso (Okla.) defeated host Winter Haven (Fla.), 13-3, to win the Blue Devil Classic.

* Spud O'Neil of Lakewood (Calif.) and John Crumbley of Steinbrenner (Lutz, Fla.) both posted their 600th victories last week.

* Washington (New York) coach Steve Mandl, who has more than 900 wins and has produced such stars as Manny Ramirez, has been suspended for alleged recruiting. Nick Carbone currently is coaching the team, which includes future high draft choices catcher Nelson Rodriguez and center fielder Fernelys Sanchez, both juniors.



FOOTBALL: LEGENDARY SPRAGUE RETIRES
Legendary John Sprague has retired as head football coach at Riverview (Sarasota, Fla.). He compiled a 230-98 record in 30 years. The former NFL High School Coach of the Year has sent 253 players into college football.
Rival coach Paul Maechtle of Bradenton Southeast told the Sarasota Herald Tribune, "I tell our players to double-lock their chin straps when we go to Riverview. They are going to hit you."

* Salem (Ind.) has hired former Indiana University assistant Mo Moriarity as its head coach. The 56-year-old coach, who won Indiana state titles at Bloomington South and Carmel, has a big task ahead because Salem was winless last fall.

* Ryan (Denton, Texas) defensive end Mario Edwards has made a commitment to Florida State University, according to the Dallas Morning News. The 6-4, 260-pounder is the top-ranked junior in the Dallas area. He had 79 tackles – 23 for losses – and two fumble recoveries for touchdowns last fall.

SOFTBALL: FOURTH NO-HITTER FOR NUNN
Holly Springs (N.C.) junior left-hander Erica Nunn struck out 17 while pitching her fourth no-hitter of the year, beating Apex (N.C.), 1-0, on a two-out RBI single by No. 9 batter Giselle Ramos. In 45 innings, she has struck out 95 and scattered seven hits. She made a commitment to South Florida as a sophomore.

* Royse City (Texas) senior pitcher Alicia Pille recently threw a pair of perfect games, striking out 19 on one occasion. She has a 9-3 record with a 0.92 ERA and 170 strikeouts in 76 innings.

POTPOURRI
* Kyla Ross of Aliso Niguel (Aliso Viejo, Calif.) won the junior all-around title with 58.750 points during the City of Jesolo Trophy gymnastics meet in Jesolo, Italy. She won balance beam and was second on vault to help the U.S. win the team title. The Americans also won the senior team title with Jordyn Wieber of DeWitt, Mich., placing second in all-around with 57.700 points.



* Lisa Pawlik has retired as volleyball coach at Penn (Mishawaka, Ind.) with a 514-105 record in 17 years. She went out in style, guiding the Kingsmen to a 39-1 record last fall and their first Class 4A state title.